Filler for boots and shoes.



No. 815,699. PATENTED MAR. 20, I906.

A. LEWIS.

FILLER FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

- APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1904.

I W was:

J4 '4 xg w 1'0 all whom it may concern:

UNITED sTAT s PATENT OEEIOE;

ALFRED LEWIs, ()F KETTERING, ENGLAND, Ass IGNoR To MOBBS AND LEWIS,LIMITED, OF OARRINGTON FOUNDRY, KETTERING; ENGLAND,

A CORPORATION OF GREAT BRITAIN.

FILLER FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 20, 1906.

Application filed April 6,1904:- Se rial No. 201,859-

Be it known that I, ALFRED LEwIs,- a subj ect of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of Carrington Foundry, Kettering, inave thecounty of Northampton, England, invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fillers for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is aspecification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an under side view of a fillerconstructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a side vlew, and Fig.3 an under side view, showing a modification in the form of sprinFillers for boots'and shoes are dliiefly used by retail dealers for thepurpose of displaying their wares, and it is usual to provide a fillerfor each size and fitting of boota circumstance which acts prejudiciallyon the sale of fillers to retail tradesmen on account of the cost.

Fillers have been made from vulcanized fiber, which is blocked andshapedfor the purpose; and in carrying out the present invention it isproposed to employ the same material, as it has a certain amount ofelasticity which is necessary; but any other material having likecharacteristics may be employed.

Now the object of the present invention is to provide a filler which maybe used for several sizes and fitting of boot or shoe within certainlimits, so that the expense consequent on having a filler for each sizeand fitting will be avoided. To this end the heel portion of the sha edfiber filleris removed, say, at a oint W ich would about correspond witht e commencement of the stiffener of the boot or shoe, and at a pointwhich would about correspond with the ball of the foot a spring isattached, which will yield to pressure when inserting the filler in theshoe and also act to force the sides of-the filler outward and keep itin contact with the sides of the boot or shoe. By these means acollapsible and expansible'filler will beprovided, which will be capableof accommodating itself to the, interior of the boot or shoe no matterwhat may be the size and fitting within certain limitsin other Words,afiller of greater adaptability and utility than heretofore is produceReferring then to the drawings, A is the shaped hollow fiber filler. Atthe bottom edge this filler is made with turned-in lugs B, to whichtheends of a laterally-distending spring 0 are attached by rivets D or inany other convenient manner, as willbe seen from the under side views,Figs. 1 and 3.

The form the spring C may take is of minor importance so long as itsobjectis borne in mindnamely, that it shall press the sides of thefiller outward against the inner walls of the fupper of the bootor'shoe. In thedrawings two forms of spring are illustrated. Thus inFig..-] the spring is extended rearwardly to fit the heel of the shoe,which may sometimes be preferred. In Figs. 2 and 3 the rear extension ofthe spring is turned up to form a hook, which may be readily seize bythe finger to help towithdraw the filleras well as to fit the heel. thiss ring is that it will form a kind of handle by which the filler may beinserted or withdrawn and willv be specially useful for the smallersizes. The extended spring will also form a side stay or support for thewaist of the shoe from the joint to the heel.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A collapsible and ex ansive filler for boots and shoes consisting ohollow-shaped elastic foot and waist portions and a spring attached tothe sides of the foot portion in advance of the waist portion andextended rearwardlyalong the Inner sides of the more-contracted waistportion and thence rearwardly beyond the waist portion to form a handle,the said spring being so formed that end pressure on t e rear end of thespring in the longitudinal direction of the filler will be transmittedto the point where the spring connects with the opposite sides of thefoot ortion ina direction to force thesaid sides of wardly.

In testimony whereof 'I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribingwitnesses.v D

' ALFRED LEWIS. Witnesses: g

- RALPH. W. GARANEs, H. RUssELL SMITH.

the foot portion out- I waist portion, forming a side support for the

